it's a birthday

It's that time of year...
I knew we had a couple of birthdays coming up,
so I dug out the old checkerboard cake pans
and went to work.

I love these cakes...

I think I was in high school when I made my first one...

so, it was really just a few years ago...

I went with...
pink (strawberry)
and
 blue (blue dye #1)

And, I'll be the first to admit
that I'm no cake decorator.
But, I like cake...
I like playing with icing...
and, sometimes, when I'm cooking...
I pretend like I'm Martha Stewart.

He was the only one not worried
about his hair catching on fire.

He didn't want to cut his cake.
His exact words...
"Just leave it like this!"

And, I'm pretty sure he
would have eaten the entire cake
if we let him.

We didn't have to tell her twice...

Could she be any sweeter?

linked to:

Frugal Girls
A Bowl Full of Lemons 

a work in progress...

So, maybe, it's more like
a million works in progress...

kaleidoscope quilt...

lizzie quilt...

friendship star quilt...

curtains...

pillows...

 

pillows...

and more pillows...

just eat

top ten reasons why 

he didn't want to eat his supper.....

10.  it's too hot (it wasn't)

9.  i want chips (there were chips on his plate)

8.  i don't like it (one of his favorite meals)

7.  i need to check on mater (mater was fine)

6.  i want yours (i was eating the same thing)

5.  that's not mine (as he pushed his plate away)

4.  i eat it all (i could see his plate) 

3. it's too heavy (as he "strained" to pick up a chip) 

2.  i want rock-we (broccoli - he didn't)

1.  it's too muddy 

(as in, a certain amount of muddiness 
is expected in my cooking, 
and this crossed the line)

   

could also be entitled...

top ten reasons why 

i opened a bottle of wine with dinner

endless mountains quiltworks

I just love a good quilt shop...

and, this one, my friends, is fabulous!

Endless Mountain Quiltworks has

the best selection of fabric I've ever seen in a quilt shop...
several beautiful quilts on display...

the sweetest, most helpful ladies working there...

more classes, events, and groups than I can count...

a wonderful online newsletter...

and a toy basket!

In the past,

I've gotten some nasty, stink-eye looks

upon walking into a fabric store with these 2 clowns...

Don't get me wrong,

I am not in denial 

about the fact that they are 

sticky about 93% of the time...

(there is a 3 - 7 minute window after bath time
that I consider them relatively clean).

But, I would never take them into a fabric store
looking like this...

or this...

or this...

And, I don't let them run around like 

crazy, heathen tazmanian devils.

In fact,

I'm so used to having to make a mad dash...

(I'm talking 5 minutes, tops)

that, I was on my fourth lap

sprinting around the store when I realized...

I could slow down and actually look.

Because there he was, 

still playing quietly by the clearance shelf...
(For some reason, 
he even whispered the whole time we were in there.)

They didn't mind
that I took a picture
of absolutely everything in the shop...

beautiful keystone quilt

sassy, little, twirly skirt
and yo-yo decorated crocs

colorfully coordinated bean bags

vintage inspired fabric

baskets of fabric bundles

Here's what I came away with on my first visit...

I had been wanting a keystone template, 

and I'm so glad I found one in Pennsylvania

as it just so happens to be the 

Keystone State.

So, if you're ever passing through Tunkhannock, PA, 

and you find yourself in need of some really great fabrics, 

stop by Endless Mountains Quiltworks.

homemade laundry detergent review

So, I finally finished off my
10 gallons of homemade laundry detergent!

Here's what I think about it...

the pros
*I liked not being worried about running out for a loooong time.
*It was fun to play with different essential oils to adjust the fragrance.
*We saved money.

the cons
*I wound up using more than 1 cup per load
because it seemed like 1 cup wasn't quite doing the job.
So, it didn't go as far as I had hoped.
*It did not get stinky, sweaty, workout clothes clean,
no matter how much I used.
*One little guy in our house thought it was applesauce
and kept wanting to eat it.

So, the  question is...
Will I make another batch?
Yes,
but I'll keep a box of Tide on hand
for really stinky, dirty loads.

And, as for using vinegar
as homemade fabric softener...

First of all,

I definitely don't recommend using just vinegar
if it's something you hang to dry.

Here's what I did;
I realized I really like the Downy fragrance,
so I added a cap full of Downy to a bottle of vinegar.

It's the best of both worlds...
our clothes are super soft and Downy fresh,
and the vinegar is also softening our clothes
and cleaning our washing machine with each use.

I'd love to hear from those of you
who've tried it.
Let me know what you think!

linked to:

Frugal Girls